'ND vs. Klan' author to speak tonight

March 16, 2006|Tribune Staff Report

SOUTH BEND -- Todd Tucker, author of the book "Notre Dame vs. The Klan," will speak at 6:30 p.m. today at the Center for History, 808 W. Washington St. In May 1924, two uniquely American institutions clashed in the streets of South Bend: the Ku Klux Klan and the University of Notre Dame. The Klan was at its height of political power in Indiana, claiming members at every level of government. At Notre Dame, it was the year of the Four Horsemen and Knute Rockne's first national championship. Tucker will talk about why the Klan was so successful in Indiana and why it ultimately self-destructed. The lecture is free with the purchase of museum admission. For information, call (574) 235-9664 or visit www.centerforhistory.org.